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No 439,982 Patented Nov, 4, 1890.

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J. L. STILLMAN.

GAR COUPLING.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIc-E.

JOSEPH L. STILLMAN, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,982, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed March 18 1890.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH L. STILLMAN, residing at Fresno, in the county of Fresno and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar- Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic carcouplings; and it has for its object to provide a coupling of this class which will be simple in construction, easy to manipulate, and positive in its desired operation.

To this end my invention consists in certain novel combinations and peculiar arrangement of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully described in the annexed specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved car-coupler. Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3,Fig. 2; and Fig.4 is a detail view of the several parts detached.

In the accompanying drawings, A indicates the draw-head, which is secured to the carbody in any well-known manner, which is provided with the usual flaring mouth or opening a, the upper wall of which is extended downward, as at a, whereby the height of the link-opening a is of a size slightly greater than the thickness of the link. The link-opening a communicates at its rear end with a vertical chamber 13, formed in the top of the draw-head, such chamber being composed of two compartments 0 D, in the forward one of which is located a link-holding device E, while in the rear end thereof is located the head or abutment-face of the spring-buffer F, against which the inner end of the link strikes during the act of coupling.

The spring-buffer F, which is clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, consists of the head f, the rearwardlyextending stern f which operates in a socket G in the draw-bar, and of vertical stem f which plays in an elongated sloth in the guide-block I-l,held in the chamber D, its lower face engaging the horizontal shouldersdd, the front face beingheld from outward movement by the vertical shoulders d d, as shown.

I denotes a coiled spring disposed about Serial No. 344,332. (No model.)

the stem f and held in place by the rear wall of the head f and the shoulder g in the draw-bar socket G.

The link holder or presser E, which is also clearly shown in Fig. at of the drawings, and which is held to slide vertically in the coinpartment 0, consists of the base or body portion 6, formed with a vertical semicircular recess e on its front face, which, in connection with a similar recess a formed in the front wall of the compartment 0, constitutes the coupling-pin aperture.

(2 6 denote stems pro ected upward from the base e, which pass through apertures e e in a cross-bar J, secured in sockets j j in the draw-head, said stems being supported from said cross-bar by means of the pins j j passed through the apertures j j as shown. K denotes coiled springs disposed about the stems e 6 which serve to normally force the linkholder downward, the lower frontedge e of said holder being beveled to form a continuation of the upper wall of the mouth of the draw-head, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The rear wall 10 of the chamber B is extended upward and forms a guideway for the lower extension 11 of a housing 12, formed into a continuation of the chamber B, such housing completely covering the said chamber, the lower front edge of which is formed with'a semicircular recess 13, arranged in the same vertical plane \vitlnihe recess in the link-holder.

L denotes a removable cap-plate secured upon the upper face of the housing 12, the front end of which is extended over the front wall of the housing, such end being formed with a semicircular recess 15, disposed over the recess 13.

M denotes asliding plate, the front edge of which is also formed with a semicircular recess m, said plate being disposed to operate just below the cap-pl ate L, such plate passing through an opening an in the front wall of the housing and normally projecting slightly in advance of the recess 15 in the said cap plate. The rear end of said plate is formed with an aperture 772?, which fits over a stud m which projects from the stem f, said stem projecting up into the housing, as shown.

N denotes the coupling-link, which is of the ordinary construction, its horizontal faces being slightly flattened; and 0 denotes the coupling-pin, which is provided with the head 0, formed into an annular enlargement, which limits the downward -movement of said pin, and also serves as a convenient means for holding said pin in its upper or uncoupled position, such position being effected by ad- I l as follows: When the pin is held in its uncoupled position, as shown in Fig. 2, the plate M will be in its outermost or normal position, serving, in connection with the hinged hood P, to hold said pin from accidental displacement. Now, as the adjacent draw-head approaches, its link will enter the mouth an, engage and slightly raise the link-holder, and strike against the yielding abutment-plate and force it inward. Such movement of the plate will move the plate L inward, and thereby permit the pin to drop and couple with the link.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s--. v

l. The combination of the draw-head A, provided with a vertical chamber B, communicating at its lower end with the link-opening a, a spring-actuated link-presser held to slide vertically in said chamber, a springa'ctuated abutment held to slide horizontally in said chamber, the coupling-pin, a movable pin-support located above the draw-head, and a'connection between said support and the yielding abutment, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the draw-head A, provided with the mouth a, the upper wall thereof formed into a downward extension,

and with a vertical chamber B, communicating with said mouth a, of the yielding link holder or presser, consisting of the base 6, formed with a beveled front edge 6 projecting into the link-opening, the upwardly-projecting stems 6 6 the cross-bar J, adapted to be fixedly secured to the draw-head, and the springs for normally holding said device in its lowermost position, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A car-coupling consisting of the drawhead formed with the usual link-opening a and coupling-pin, a movable pin-support disposed above the draw-head, a yielding abutment located at the rear of the link-opening adapted for horizontal movement therein, intermediate connections between said abutment and pin-support, and a spring-actuated link holder or presser vertically movable in the draw-head in advance of the link-abutment, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination, with the draw-head A, provided with the usual pin-aperture and link-opening, and the coupling-link provided with an annular flange or head, of a housing secured upon the draw-head, a pin-support held to slide horizontally in said housing, its forward end projected beyond the front wall of thehousing, provided with a semicircular recess in its end disposed normally over the pin-aperture in the draw-head, said recessed end adapted to project under the flanged head of the pin, a horizontally-movable yielding abutment located within the drawhead adapted to be engaged by the link, a connection between said abutment and the pin-support, and the hood P, hinged upon the upper face of the housing and adapted to swing over the head of the pin when held up by its supporting-plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.

. JOSEPH L. STILLMAN. Witnesses: I

W. E. CHESLEY, WM. J. MoCoRn. 

